Monitor

ABSTRACT

A monitor having: a monitor main body displaying a picture; a base member; a stand member standing on the base member; a moving member combined to the stand member to move up and down, that supports the monitor main body with a force counterbalancing a weight of the monitor main body; a locking part provided in the moving member; a locking hook provided on one of the stand member and the base member to be locked to and released from the locking part of the moving member; and an elastic member to release the locking hook from the locking part when the moving member supports monitor main body with the force counterbalancing the weight of the monitor main body. With this configuration, the present invention provides a monitor which has decreased packing volume, and is convenient to handle.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent ApplicationNo. 2002-69680, filed Nov. 11, 2002, in the Korean Intellectual PropertyOffice, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to a monitor, and moreparticularly, to a monitor having a monitor main body displaying apicture, and a base member supporting the monitor main body.

[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0005] Recently, as a computer system is widely used, demand for amonitor is rapidly increased. With this, there have been proposedvarious monitors having functions to suit user's taste and to give auser convenience.

[0006] For example, there is a monitor disclosed in Korean utility modelNo. 20-279427, which has a base, a stand standing on the base, a platecombined to a rear bracket of the monitor that extends downward, a guideplate combined to the stand and provided with a pair of rail grooves, aslider with a projection to engage the rail groove that slides up anddown along the guide plate, a pusher combined to a lower part of theslider having a receipt groove of semicircular cross section in a lowerend thereof, and a rolled spring in a rolled state, having a first endcoupled to the stand and a second end inserted in the receipt groove ofthe pusher, and exerting an elastic force in a direction opposite to theweight of a monitor main body.

[0007] With this configuration, the conventional monitor operates asfollows. When a user wants to adjust the height of the monitor main bodyto a lower position, the user presses the monitor main body downward,and the monitor main body moves downward, overcoming the elasticity ofthe rolled spring. Then, when the user stops pressing the monitor mainbody at the lower position, the monitor main body stops moving, and theweight of the monitor main body is balanced by the elastic force of therolled spring.

[0008] As described above, in the conventional monitor, the monitor mainbody can be stopped at the lower position because the weight of themonitor main body and the elastic force of the rolled spring balanceeach other. Therefore, when packing the conventional monitor, if themonitor is separated into the monitor main body and the stand, theslider connected to the rolled spring slides upward, since the weight ofthe monitor main body counterbalancing the elasticity of the rolledspring is not present.

[0009] The volume the monitor occupies is minimized when the slider ispositioned at the lowest position, even when the monitor main body isseparated from the monitor. In the conventional monitor, however, theslider slides toward the highest position when the monitor main body isseparated from the monitor, and thus the volume required to pack themonitor is increased.

[0010] Further, when carrying the conventional monitor, if the monitorleans to one side, a vector magnitude of the elastic force of the rolledspring is larger than a vector magnitude of the weight of the monitormain body in the sliding direction of the slider, and thus the elasticforce of the rolled spring overcomes the weight of the monitor main bodyand moves the monitor main body upward. Therefore, when the monitorleans to one side, because the monitor main body suddenly moves upward,it may be inconvenient to handle the monitor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Accordingly, it is an aspect of the present invention to providea monitor which has a decreased packing volume, and is convenient tohandle.

[0012] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be setforth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will beobvious form the description, or may be learned by practice of theinvention.

[0013] These and/or other aspects of the present invention are achievedby providing a monitor having: a monitor main body displaying a picture;a base member; a stand member standing on the base member; a movingmember combined to the stand member to move up and down, that supportsthe monitor main body with a first force counterbalancing a weight ofthe monitor main body; a locking part provided on the moving member; alocking hook provided on one of the stand member and the base member, tobe locked to and released from the locking part of the moving member;and an elastic member to release the locking hook from the locking partin accordance with a second force on the moving member.

[0014] According to an aspect of the invention, the elastic member is aflat spring provided inside the locking part.

[0015] According to an aspect of the invention, the monitor also has amoving block combined to the moving member, and a locking block combinedto one of the stand member and the base member, wherein the locking partis provided on the moving block, and the locking hook is provided on thelocking block.

[0016] According to an aspect of the invention, the locking hookprotrudes from the locking block, and the locking part has a lockinggroove corresponding to the locking hook.

[0017] According to an aspect of the invention, the monitor also has abase bracket provided between the stand member and the base member,wherein the base bracket is combined with the stand member and the basemember, and the locking block is combined to the base bracket.

[0018] According to an aspect of the invention, the locking block has apush button protruding through a first side of the base bracket, and acombining projection combined in a second side of the base bracket.

[0019] According to an aspect of the invention, the monitor also has acoil spring provided between the locking block and the second side ofthe base bracket to elastically bias the locking block toward the firstside of the base bracket.

[0020] According to an aspect of the invention, the coil spring isinstalled on the combining projection.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] These and/or other aspects and advantages of the invention willbecome apparent and more readily appreciated from the followingdescription of the preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings in which:

[0022]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a monitor according to the presentinvention;

[0023]FIG. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view of the monitor ofFIG. 1;

[0024]FIGS. 3A through 3D are sectional views illustrating that alocking hook is locked to a locking part of FIG. 2;

[0025]FIG. 4 is a sectional view illustrating the locking hook locked tothe locking part of FIG. 2 in the state that the monitor main body isseparated from the monitor;

[0026]FIG. 5 is a sectional view illustrating the locking hook locked tothe locking part of FIG. 2 in the state that the monitor main body leansto one side; and

[0027]FIG. 6 is a partially exploded perspective view of the monitor ofFIG. 1, showing a spring member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferredembodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustratedin the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer tolike elements throughout. The embodiments are described below in orderto explain the present invention by referring to the figures.

[0029] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a monitor 1 according to the presentinvention has a monitor main body 3 displaying a picture (an image), abase member 10 laid on an installation plane 80 (see FIGS. 3A-5) such asa table, to support the monitor main body 3, a stand member 30 standingon the base member 10, a moving member 40 movably combined to the standmember 30 to move up and down and supporting the monitor main body 3with a force counterbalancing the weight of the monitor main body 3, amoving block 60 combined to the moving member 40 and having a lockingpart 61, a base bracket 20 provided between the stand member 30 and thebase member 10, and a locking block 50 combined to the base bracket 20.

[0030] According to one aspect, there are a pair of stand members 30,and each stand member 30 is inwardly recessed and accommodates themoving member 40 therein to allow the moving member 40 to move up anddown, and thereby guide the moving member 40. Further, a lower part ofeach stand member 30 has a plurality of bracket combining holes 31spaced from each other, through which screws pass and fasten to theinside of the base bracket 20.

[0031] Similarly, according to one aspect there are a pair of movingmembers 40, and each moving member 40 is inserted in the respectivestand member 30, and moves up and down. Further, an upper part of themoving member 40 is combined to the monitor main body 3 and supports themonitor main body 3 with the force counterbalancing the weight of themonitor main body 3. According to one aspect, the force counterbalancingthe weight of the monitor main body 3 is caused by a spring member (notshown) provided between the stand member 30 and the moving member 40.

[0032] According to one aspect, the spring member has an upper endcoupled to an upper part of the stand member 30 and a lower end coupledto a lower part of the moving member 40. The spring member is used tomove the monitor main body 3 upward with the force counterbalancing theweight of the monitor main body 3. According to one aspect, the springmember is a spiral spring. But other devices to apply force can be used,for example, an extension spring, or a gas cylinder.

[0033] The spring member is preferably a spiral spring 90. As shown inFIG. 6, the spiral spring 90 has a first end spirally wound on a guidingshaft 91 and coupled to a guiding bracket 95, and a second end coupledto the moving block 60. Here, the guiding bracket 91 is preferablycombined to an upper part of the stand member 30.

[0034] To adjust the height of the monitor main body 3, a user pressesthe monitor main body 3 upward or downward, and stops pressing themonitor main body 3 at a desired position. The monitor main body 3 stopsmoving because of the balance between the weight of the monitor mainbody 3 and the elasticity of the spring member.

[0035] The base bracket 20 is provided between the stand members 30 andthe base member 10, to combine the stand members 30 with the base member10, thereby firmly supporting the stand members 30 on the base member10. Inside the base bracket 20 there is a space of predetermined volumeto accommodate the locking block 50 therein. Additionally, there arestand combining holes 25 to combine the pair of stand members 30 withthe base bracket 20. Further, on a first side of the base bracket 20there is a button through hole 21, through which a push button 53 of thelocking block 50 (to be described later) passes, and on a second side ofthe base bracket 20 there is a projection through hole 23, through whicha combining projection 55 of the locking block 50 passes.

[0036] The moving block 60 has moving member combining holes 65 combinedby a screw to moving block combining holes 41 provided in a lower partof the moving member 40. The moving block 60 also has the locking part61, which is concave to accommodate a locking hook 51 of the lockingblock 50 therein, and a slant part 67 formed in a lower part of thelocking part 61 and that slopes at a predetermined angle.

[0037] The locking part 61 has a locking groove 63 to which the lockinghook 51 of the locking block 50 hooks. Inside the locking groove 63 isprovided an elastic member 70 to release the locking hook 51 from thelocking groove 63 of the locking part 61 when the moving member 40supports the monitor main body 3 with the force of the spring membercounterbalancing the weight of the monitor main body 3.

[0038] When the moving member 40 moves downward, the slant part 67contacts and pushes the locking hook 51 in a direction opposite to aprotruding direction of the locking hook 51.

[0039] According to one aspect, the elastic member 70 is a flat spring70 inserted inside the locking groove 63 and fastened to the movingblock 60.

[0040] The flat spring 70 has an elasticity of predetermined magnitudethat is less than the elasticity of the spring member, but sufficient torelease the locking hook 51 from the locking groove 63 of the lockingpart 61 when the monitor main body 3 is supported by the moving member40 with the force of the spring member counterbalancing the weight ofthe monitor main body 3.

[0041] When the monitor 1 is seated on the installation plane 80 such asa table, the flat spring 70 prevents the locking hook 51 from hookingthe locking groove 63.

[0042] The locking block 50 has: the locking hook 51, that locks to thelocking part 61 of the moving block 60; the push button 53, protrudingfrom the first side of the base bracket 20 through the button throughhole 21; and the combining projection 55, inserted in the projectionthrough hole 23 to combine to the second side of the base bracket 20.

[0043] The locking hook 51 protrudes from the locking block 50 to hookto the locking groove 63 of the locking part 61, and an end of thelocking hook 51 is downwardly bent. According to one aspect, the lockinghook 51 is a pair of locking hooks 51, but may be a single, or may bethree or more.

[0044] The push button 53 protrudes outwardly from the base bracket 20and slides through the button through hole 21, allowing a user to pushthe push button 53.

[0045] The combining projection 55 is slidingly combined to the basebracket 20, being inserted in the projection through hole 23. A coilspring 57 is located on the combining projection 55 between theprojection through hole 23 of the base bracket 20 and the locking block50, to elastically bias the locking block 50 toward the first side ofthe base bracket 20. According to one aspect, the coil spring 57 is puton the combining projection 55, but the coil spring 57 may be providedanywhere to bias the locking block 50 toward the first side of the basebracket 20.

[0046] When a user pushes the push button 53 with a force strong enoughto overcome elasticity of the coil spring 57, the locking block 50 movestowards the second side of the base bracket 20. Conversely, when a userremoves the force pushing the push button 53, the locking block 50 isreturned to an original position by the elasticity of the coil spring57.

[0047] With the above-noted configuration, the locking hook 51 of themonitor 1 according to the present invention locks to the locking part61 as follows.

[0048] As shown in FIGS. 3A through 3D, when the moving block 60 movesdownward as a user presses the monitor main body 3 downward (refer toFIG. 3A), the slant part 67 of the moving block 60 contacts and pushesthe locking block 50 toward the second side of the base bracket 20,overcoming the elasticity of the coil spring 57 (refer to FIG. 3B).Then, when the locking hook 51 is adjacent to the locking part 61 (referto FIG. 3C), the locking hook 51 is inserted in the locking part 61 bythe elasticity of the coil spring 57. At this time, although the lockinghook 51 of the locking block 50 is inserted in the locking part 61 ofthe moving block 60, the locking hook 51 is not hooked to the lockinggroove 63 because of the elasticity of the flat spring 70 providedinside the locking hook 63 (refer to FIG. 3D).

[0049] As described above, the reason why the locking hook 51 is nothooked to the locking groove 63 is that the elasticity of the flatspring 70 is less than the elasticity of the spring member, but issufficient to release the locking hook 51 from the locking groove 63 ofthe locking part 61 when monitor main body 3 is supported by the movingmember 40 with the force of the spring member counterbalancing theweight of the monitor main body 3.

[0050] When the monitor 1 is seated on the installation plane 80, suchas a table, the locking hook 51 is inserted in the locking part 61 ofthe moving block 60 but is not hooked to the locking groove 63 of thelocking part 61, and thus, a user can easily move the monitor main body3 upward after removing the locking hook 51 from the locking part 61 bypushing the push button 53.

[0051] As shown in FIG. 4, however, when the monitor 1 leans to oneside, for example, if a user carries the monitor 1, a magnitude of avector of the elasticity of the spring member is greater than amagnitude of a vector of the weight of the monitor main body 3 in themoving direction of the moving block 60. Therefore, the elasticity ofthe spring member overcomes the weight of the monitor main body 3,thereby moving the monitor main body 3 upward. Then, the locking hook 51is hooked to the locking groove 63 by the elasticity of the springmember, pressing the flat spring 70 provided in the locking groove 63.If a user pushes the push button 53 by mistake, the push button 53 doesnot slide, because the locking hook 51 is hooked to the locking groove63. Thus, the monitor main body 3 is prevented from suddenly movingupward and it is convenient to handle the monitor 1.

[0052] Further, as shown in FIG. 5, when the monitor main body 3 isseparated from the monitor 1 for example, to pack the monitor 1, thelocking hook 51 is hooked to the locking groove 63 by the elasticity ofthe spring member, pressing the flat spring 70 provided in the lockinggroove 63 because the weight of the monitor main body 3 counterbalancingthe elasticity of the spring member is not present. If a user pushes thepush button 53 by mistake, the push button 53 does not slide, becausethe locking hook 51 is hooked to the locking groove 63. Thus, themonitor 1 can be safely packed with the minimum volume, therebydecreasing the packing volume.

[0053] As described above, the present invention provides a monitorwhich is decreased in packing volume and is convenient to carry, handle,etc.

[0054] Although a few embodiments of the present invention have beenshown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the artthat changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from theprinciples and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined inthe appended claims and their equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A monitor, including a monitor main bodydisplaying an image, and a base member supporting the monitor main body,the monitor comprising: a stand member standing on the base member; amoving member, combined to the stand member to move up and down, thatsupports the monitor main body with a first force of predeterminedmagnitude to counterbalance a weight of the monitor main body; a lockingpart provided in the moving member; a locking hook provided on one ofthe stand member and the base member to lock to and be released from thelocking part of the moving member; and an elastic member to release thelocking hook from the locking part when the first force counterbalancesthe weight of the monitor main body.
 2. The monitor according to claim1, wherein the elastic member comprises: a flat spring provided insidethe locking part.
 3. The monitor according to claim 2, furthercomprising: a moving block combined to the moving member; and a lockingblock combined to at least one of the stand member and the base member,wherein the locking part is provided on the moving block, and thelocking hook is provided on the locking block.
 4. The monitor accordingto claim 3, wherein: the locking hook protrudes from the locking block;and the locking part has a locking groove corresponding to the lockinghook.
 5. The monitor according to claim 4, further comprising: a basebracket provided between the stand member and the base member, whereinthe base bracket is combined with the stand member and the base member,and the locking block is combined to the base bracket.
 6. The monitoraccording to claim 5, wherein the locking block comprises: a push buttonprotruding through a first side of the base bracket; and a combiningprojection combined in a second side of the base bracket.
 7. The monitoraccording to claim 6, further comprising: a coil spring provided betweenthe locking block and the second side of the base bracket to elasticallybias the locking block toward the first side of the base bracket.
 8. Themonitor according to claim 7, wherein the coil spring is installed onthe combining projection.
 9. A monitor including a base member and amonitor main body displaying a picture, the monitor comprising: a basebracket connected to the base member; a stand member connected to thebase bracket; a moving member connected to the monitor main body, andmovably connected to the stand member to translate along a firstdirection and a second direction opposite the first direction; a firstforcing member to bias the moving member in the first direction with afirst force of predetermined magnitude; a locking part located on themoving member; a locking hook located on one of the stand member and thebase member to lock to and be released from the locking part of themoving member; and a second forcing member to bias the locking part inthe second direction with a second force of predetermined magnitude thatis less than the first force, that releases the locking hook from thelocking part when the sum of the second force and a third force actingon the moving member in the second direction, exceeds the first force.10. The monitor according to claim 9, wherein the first forcing membercomprises: a spring connected to the stand member and the moving member.11. The monitor according to claim 9, wherein the second forcing membercomprises: a flat spring located inside the locking part.
 12. Themonitor according to claim 9, further comprising: a moving blockcombined to the moving member; and a locking block combined to one ofthe stand member and the base member, wherein the locking part islocated in the moving block, and the locking hook is located in thelocking block.
 13. The monitor according to claim 12, wherein: thelocking hook protrudes from the locking block; and the locking part hasa locking groove corresponding to the locking hook.
 14. The monitoraccording to claim 13, further comprising: a base bracket providedbetween the stand member and the base member, wherein the base bracketis combined with the stand member and the base member, and the lockingblock is combined to the base bracket.
 15. The monitor according toclaim 12, further comprising: a third forcing member located between thelocking block and the second side of the base bracket to bias thelocking block toward the first side of the base bracket.
 16. The monitoraccording to claim 15, wherein the third forcing member comprises: acoil spring.
 17. The monitor according to claim 9, wherein the thirdforce comprises: a component of a weight of the monitor main body actingin the second direction.
 18. A monitor including a base member and amonitor main body displaying a picture, the monitor comprising: a standmember connected to the base member; a moving member connected to themonitor main body, and movably connected to the stand member totranslate along a first direction and a second direction opposite thefirst direction; a first forcing member to bias the moving member in thefirst direction with a first force of predetermined magnitude; a lockingpart located on the moving member; a locking hook located on one of thestand member and the base member to lock to and be released from thelocking part of the moving member; and a second forcing member to biasthe locking part in the second direction with a second force ofpredetermined magnitude that is less than the first force, wherein whenthe locking part is located in a first position, and a sum of the secondforce and a third force acting on the moving member in the seconddirection is less than the first force, the locking hook locks to thelocking part, and when the sum of the second force and the third forceacting on the moving member in the second direction exceeds the firstforce, the second forcing member releases the locking hook from thelocking part.
 19. The monitor according to claim 18, wherein the thirdforce comprises: a component of a weight of the monitor main body actingin the second direction.
 20. The monitor according to claim 18, wherein:the base member comprises a base bracket; and the stand member isconnected to the base bracket.
 21. An adjusting mechanism for adjustinga monitor relative to a monitor stand comprising: a locking mechanismthat locks the monitor stand in a minimized position when a line offorce of a first forcing member is tilted with respect to a line offorce of gravity acting on the monitor stand.
 22. The adjustingmechanism according to claim 21, wherein: the locking mechanism preventsa releasing mechanism from releasing the monitor stand from theminimized position when the line of force of the first forcing member istilted with respect to the line of force of gravity acting on themonitor stand.
 23. An adjusting mechanism for adjusting a monitorrelative to a monitor stand comprising: a locking mechanism that locksthe monitor stand in a minimized position when the monitor is separatedfrom the monitor stand.
 24. An adjusting mechanism for adjusting amonitor relative to a monitor stand comprising: a locking mechanism thatlocks the monitor stand in a minimized position by a first force of afirst forcing member when the monitor is separated from the monitorstand.
 25. The adjusting mechanism according to claim 24, wherein: thelocking mechanism prevents a releasing mechanism from releasing themonitor stand from the minimized position unless the first force iscounterbalanced.